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Resources for Athletes

Sports Nutrition

School aged athletes need to energize their bodies with good nutrition if they hope to perform their at their best. Whether it's playing football, swimming or jogging, athletes need to eat a nutritious, balanced diet to fuel their body. Good nutrition, like any sporting event, has basic ground rules and nothing affects your ability to compete more than good nutrition.

Eating the right foods helps you stay physically fit and reach your optimum performance. To reach your highest potential and maintain a winning edge, all of your body systems must be perfectly tuned using proper nutrition.

Eat a variety of Healthy Foods and stay Hydrated. The young bodies of student athletes are still growing. It is important to nourish that growth and fuel the demands of strenuous exercise and organized sports.

That translates into eating a variety of foods every day - grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, lean meats, and low fat dairy products. The base of the diet should come from carbohydrates in the form of starches and sugars. Fluids, especially water, are also important to the winning combination. Dehydration can stop even the finest athlete from playing his or her best game.

Smart Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates or "carbs" provide energy for the body and are an important source of fuel for young athletics. However, there is no need for "carb loading" before a big game. Choose carbohydrates in whole-grain foods that are less processed and high in fiber, like pasta, brown rice, whole-grain bread, and cereal. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol and may help prevent diabetes and heart disease.

Water, and staying properly hydrated, is key to an athlete’s success.

Without the right foods, even physical conditioning and expert coaching aren't enough to push you to be your best.Good nutrition must be a key part of your training program for you to succeed.

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Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.